The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has invited bids to develop 1,785 MW of solar projects (Tranche IV) in Rajasthan, India. The power procured from the projects will be sold to the distribution companies in the state. The authorised agency for signing the power sale agreement on behalf of Rajasthan discoms is Rajasthan Urja Vikas Nigam Limited while SECI will be the intermediary nodal agency for power procurement.
For each project, the minimum capacity will be 10 MW and the maximum 1,785 MW. Further, the project should be designed for interconnection with the nearest substation of state transmission utility (STU) at the voltage level of 33 kV or above. The project must be commissioned within 18 months of the date of signing of the power purchase agreement. The developer will bear the responsibility and cost of getting connectivity with the STU’s transmission system. The successful bidder will have to submit Rs 800,000 as of the performance bank guarantee. The last date to submit bids is April 15, 2021.
For the project, the declared annual capacity utilisation factor (CUF) must be at least 17 per cent. Any excess generation above 10 per cent of the upper limit of contracted energy as per the declared annual CUF will be purchased by SECI. The tender document also specifies that only commercially established and operational technologies will be promoted to minimise the technology risk. Hence, the bidder should indicate the selection of technology while submitting their bid.
In November 2020, SECI’s auction for 1,070 MW of solar projects in Rajasthan discovered a record-low lowest tariff of Rs 2 per kWh. This figure was 15.3 per cent lower than SECI’s previous low of Rs 2.36 per kWh set in its auction for 2 GW of the interstate transmission system connected solar projects (Tranche IX) in June 2020.
